


Of Lavender Roses and Pink Carnations

by jessaverant



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Human Pearl x Gem Rose, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Soft sapphic love, Stupidly flowery writing, Victorian Floriography, victorian au, will eventually be nsfw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 18:31:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16068854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessaverant/pseuds/jessaverant
Summary: Pearl Byng is the daughter of the Earl of Strafford, living on a palatial estate in southern London in the year 1891. Biracial, sapphic and educated, she struggles to find herself in the throes of late Victorian society.And then one day, she meets Rose Quartz in the garden.---Human x Gem AU





	Of Lavender Roses and Pink Carnations

_They were on the patio garden stairs in the late spring sun. An apple tree, positioned just so to shade students and teachers as they plucked their way through the overgrown vines, stood at careful watch above them. They leaned against the tree, satin ribbon sashes pressed against the rugged bark, their carefully coiffed curls becoming mussed with small leaves as they moved._

_Tentative kisses were stolen against unsure lips, and fingers trailed wary petticoats as they met dappled flesh underneath. Smooth and white like polished marble, the skin was warm beneath her hand, and she laid the slightest of pressure between them, testing the heady waters. At the brief touch, the kisses became more urgent, more needy, breaths coming in heated gasps from swollen lips. Their legs were tangled beneath them, bare feet against cool stone, the soles dirtying from the turned earth at their feet. The bell was ringing. The tree brayed and they gasped and touched and allowed fingers to roam closer and closer--_

"Pearl. PEARL. PEEEARRLLL!"

A deep breath. Pearl opened one eye, her hands clasped against her chest, blankets pulled up to her shoulders. Her face was covered in sweat and she could feel the wet warmth between her legs. _A dream_. With a sigh she opened the other eye and pushed her face off her pillow, turning towards the door of her room.

"Gloria," she croaked, voice thick with sleep, "go. Away." Her niece stood at the door, eyes narrowed, wearing only her smock and no house slippers. Her bare feet made small _pat pats_ as she crossed the wooden floor towards the bed. " _Gloria_."

"You were making a weird noise," the child said, pulling on blonde curls. "Mama said to wake you." Pearl sniffed indignantly and pushed her hair out of her eyes, finally coming to a sitting position among her blankets. Gloria was at the windows instantly, pulling back the velvet curtains with a flourish. Early sunlight poured into the room, causing Pearl to wince back into her pillow.

"Gloria!" The little girl giggled and ran from the room, leaving Pearl to blink sleepily into the sunlight. Another figured darkened the doorway, holding a baby to her hip and frowning into the room.

"Pearl, it's half past," the figure scolded, and Pearl finally threw the duvet from her waist and stepped into her house slippers, thankful she was still wearing her winter nightgown and her body's nightly excretions weren't obvious from the outside. She felt uncomfortable but knew she wouldn't be able to freshen up until her half-sister and niece left her well enough alone.

" _Margaret_ ," Pearl said in a sour tone, running her fingers through the few locks that had come down throughout the night. "I'm up."

"Good," was all Margaret had to add, and turned and left, leaving the door ajar. Pearl scoffed and crossed the room, closing the door with a certain finality and ducking into her water closet.

"It was just a dream," Pearl murmured to herself as she stared into the washbasin. " _A dream_."

_It was a memory._

Pearl flicked her wrist and dispelled the thoughts as she splashed water onto her face. A quick freshen in the bidet and she felt as good as new, relatively. The images of being pressed against the tree with Clara at the end of exams slowly faded, and she had all but forgotten about the dream by the time she was dressed. Gloria had returned to remind her she needed her walking dress for the day, as Pearl would be accompanying her half-sister and her children across the estate for the better part of the day.

Pearl inwardly groaned but obliged, knowing her father was to be having callers that day and would prefer the "riff raff" elsewhere. It was early, but the sun was already high and it was already too warm for Pearl's liking. She leaned against her window and looked out over the front drive, eyes glossing over the acres and acres of green before her. _Where were they even going to go?_ She couldn't imagine her niece and nephew finding walking through the knolls interesting again when they had just done it two days prior.

" _Shinju?_ " a voice said from her doorway. Pearl turned, and her eyes softened as her mother entered, looking positively radiant in her simple cerulean kimono.

" _Kaasan_ ," Pearl muttered, and allowed her mother to take a seat beside her at the window. Outside, Remy, one of the hounds, was barking at something, and her nephew James was scolding him quite loudly. A stale breeze caused the curtains to flutter and made Pearl's sleeves tickle her shoulders.

"Do I _have_ to go with Margaret?" Pearl pleaded, her eyes flocking to the stack of books on her desk. "We did this walk two days ago. I'd rather work on this lesson plan." Hoshiko smoothed a stray strand of hair against Pearl's temple and looked out the window. A deeper voice trailed upwards towards them from the front, and Remy had ceased his barking for the time being.

"You were in here all day yesterday," Hoshiko said in her soft voice. "Please, get some freshness outside." Pearl bit her lower lip and followed her mother's gaze. They sat in silence a moment, and then her mother spoke again. "You said you wanted to see flowers?"

"I wanted to plant some in the garden," Pearl explained with a resigned sigh. "But Father said the upkeep would be too much."

"I had a dream that you had many flowers," Hoshiko said, taking Pearl's hand. "You found them in a place where they were not before. Maybe you will see them today?" Pearl gave a gentle nod and smiled at her mother. Her mother patted her hand and stood, turning to leave the room. She glanced at the books and ledgers piled on Pearl's desk, lesson plans and papers strewn about. Pearl watched her mother's gaze as she paused, gave the desk a once-over, and then left the room, closing the door behind her. Pearl waited a moment before jumping up and racing across the room, hurriedly checking her desk to make sure her mother hadn't seen any titles she shouldn't have.

The only books in view were her governess books and science ledgers, haphazardly tossed about. Pearl knelt and reached under the desk, pressing a wooden panel against the back edge. The panel popped out and fell into her waiting hands, and Pearl retrieved a faded magazine from the back. She unwrapped it and turned it over, the bright red _LIPPINCOTT'S_ staring back at her. She sighed in relief and replaced it in its hiding spot, pushing the panel over it and crawling back out. She could hear the telltale cries of her baby nephew as her sister passed by her room, giving a swift knock to remind Pearl to hurry up.

With a roll of her eyes Pearl straightened up, fixed her skirt, and grabbed her parasol and gloves, mentally preparing to deal with her family for the day in the hot sun.

\--

Rose Quartz found this part of earth to be quite pleasant in the summertime. The area where the Temple was situated got very hot and sticky, with storms rolling in off the sea in quick succession. She had a tendency to wander away in the hot weather, exploring some of the cooler areas and tending to the Gem sites that were in disrepair. She had just spent several days in the Strawberry Battlefield, looking for weapons that might still be live and could potentially harm a stray human. She had expertly disarmed a few blasters and land mines that still had glowing gem power cores and had discarded several swords that had been recently unearthed by a passing storm. Instead of warping right back to the Temple, she decided to roam on this continent for a while longer, taking in the sights of bustling earth culture.

Her wanderings had taken her to a bit of land that was dappled in vivid emerald greens and chartreuse, tucked away from the nearest metropolis, surrounded by a protective wall of trees. It was near one of Rose's favorite earth cities, a place the locals called _London_ , and one she had watched develop from a tiny fishing village into an advanced city. London was... _nice_ , but the countryside just outside the central city was nicer.

She had wandered by this lonely estate before but had never seen people outside. As she approached from the back, walking just within the woods, she watched a small group of humans make their way across the back patio of the house. An older woman, carrying a small child; another woman of roughly the same age, with a little boy and a little girl licking her heels; and the youngest of the adults, a waif of a woman with dark hair and olive skin, walking several feet behind them, staring at her feet as she went. Rose blinked in surprise; this third woman didn't seem to look very much like the group in front of her at all.

The group rounded the corner of the house and walked into another part of the estate, chatting indistinctly among themselves. The youngest woman was now left alone behind the house, and she came to a stop at a short stone staircase. She was holding a parasol and was staring at the shimmering grass in despondence. She finally looked up, looking out over the grounds, and Rose let a small gasp escape her lips.

The young woman was very beautiful, that much was clear. Her dress made her look nearly ethereal; layers of lace and satin cinched at her waist, cutting her into an attractive shape. Her hair was pulled back and piled high like all the other ladies, but whereas the people she was with before had fair, curly hair, hers was thick and lush and dark, reminding Rose of an obsidian in color.

The woman sighed and sat down on the stone steps, discarding her parasol beside her. She pulled one dainty glove from her hand and trailed her fingertips over the grass at her feet, eyes still pointing downwards.

_She looks so familiar_ , Rose thought. _She almost looks like..._ her thoughts dissolved as she took a tentative step through the brush, walking as quietly as she could. The dress she had shape-shifted for herself was bulky and stiff, nothing like her normal appearance at all. Thankfully she didn't get stuck in the brambles and emerged from the woods, stepping lightly across the grass towards the woman. The woman didn't look up until Rose was only a few feet away, and at the sight of Rose, she let out a gasp and recoiled back into the stairs, grabbing her parasol.

"Oh!" she squeaked, pulling her parasol into her arms. She rose to her feet, leaving one glove on the ground, and clutched her parasol to her chest. Rose raised her hand in greeting but stopped.

"Hello," Rose said to the young woman. "I'm sorry if I startled you." The woman stared at Rose inquisitively, her eyes roaming Rose's cream-and-pink dress and her wild pink curls. Rose dropped her shoulders and hung back, trying to look less intimidating; the woman was clearly shaken, and her large stature wasn't helping. "I'm not here to harm you."

"I can see that," the woman said, still holding her parasol close to her. "Who are you? Where did you come from? Why are you back here?" Rose chuckled and placed a hand to her chest.

"Rose Quartz," she said, giving the woman a slight nod. "I'm a visitor here. And you?" The woman hesitated for a moment before dropping the parasol into the grass.

"The Lady Pearl Byng," the woman said, extending her hand towards Rose out of habit. Rose swiftly took the dainty hand in her larger one and brought it to her lips, kissing her knuckles like she had seen others do. The woman -- Pearl -- froze up, her cheeks flushing, and she pulled her hand back as if she had been burnt. Rose simply smiled. She could see the stress in Pearl's body, and Rose found she wanted nothing more than to bring the girl some ease. _Especially_ someone named Pearl.

"It is very nice to meet you, Pearl," Rose said, folding her hands in front of her. She could already tell her aura was enveloping Pearl as she stood there, drawing her into a place of comfort. Pearl furrowed her brow for a moment, then softened.

"It's... _technically_ Lady Byng," she said in a quieter voice. "But I actually.... greatly dislike that title." The tension in Pearl's shoulders dropped as Rose took another step forward. "Are you here to meet with the Earl?"

"The whom?" Rose asked, lifting her skirt to step up the hill towards Pearl. She saw Pearl's eyes dart to her feet, which were bare and tickling in the grass. That only made her smile wider. _She's intrigued by me_.

This was always Rose's favorite way of captivating a human. Gentle intrigue, without scorn or derision; someone who was already keen on the unexplained and extraordinary.

“The Earl of Strafford,” Pearl explained, furrowing her brow once more. “This is his house. You’re… not here to see him?” Rose shook her magnificent head.

“I’m not sure what an earl is,” she admitted with a glint in her eye. Pearl bit her lower lip, glancing around the back patio. No one else was in sight; not even the voices of the others who had been with her earlier could be heard over the gentle breeze.

“You’re not from here, are you?” Pearl finally asked, after several moments of silence.

“Oh, not at all,” Rose said, taking another step closer to Pearl. Pearl remained where she was, her fingers loosely gripping her skirt. “I’m from very far away from here. Across the ocean, actually.” Pearl’s eyes lit up.

“I thought so! Are you from America?” It was Rose’s turn to furrow her brow. She knew the land where the Temple was had a human name, she just wasn’t sure what it was. It seemed like it changed every few hundred years anyway, so Rose never bothered to remember it. _Is the Temple in America? That sounds familiar._

“Perhaps,” was how Rose chose to answer. This was the correct answer, as she saw the pique of interest in Pearl’s eyes. The more she interacted with this young woman, the more she wanted to prolong their meeting. The curtains behind them flapped hard against the windowsills, and Rose noticed people scurrying by inside, half-hidden by sheathes of linen. She had never come this close to a human home like this before, and judging by its size, she knew there were many more people inside. Ordinarily, she would be more than happy to meet more, but this young woman…

“How fascinating,” Pearl said, bringing a hand to her cheek. “Well, if you’ve come all this way, would you like to come inside? I’m sure—”

“No!” Rose interjected, and Pearl snapped her lips shut in surprise. “No, we don’t have to go inside. Why don’t we just stay out here for a little while? You seemed to be enjoying the sun.” Pearl looked up at the sky, bright and clear. Pearl smiled at Rose, and nodded. She gestured to the stone staircase they were standing on, and the pair walked ildly down to another part of the patio. There was a wrought iron bench sitting among some vines, and Pearl took a seat, smiling up at Rose. Rose lifted her skirt, showing her bare feet once more, and sat down beside the young woman.

"Why don't you wear shoes?" Pearl asked after a moment. Rose could feel Pearl loosening beside her, endearing herself to her presence. It was an extra tactic, something she had used more often when she was young and wild, and now just used to make humans feel at ease. Pearl crossed her ankles and waited for Rose to respond.

"I find them restricting," Rose explained. She followed Pearl's gaze to the vines crawling along the bench and swiftly changed the subject. "It's very green here this time of year, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes," Pearl said, and she sighed. "I wish it were a bit more colorful, though. Don't you think? A garden..." she trailed off and looked over to the pastures Rose had crossed earlier to greet her. "My father says it would be too much for the upkeep, even though we have gardeners... I just think it would be... nice."

"Hmm," Rose agreed, mimicking Pearl's hand position. "I love flowers."

"Are you partial to roses?" Pearl asked, turning to her with a coy grin. Her cheeks were dark again, red and flustered and oh so beautiful. _The grin, the eyes, the look..._

_She's just like my Pearl._

Rose realized her face must have changed, for Pearl immediately straightened up and looked back over the pasture. Rose followed suit, moving her hands from her lap to the bench beside her, resting her fingers. She caught Pearl glancing at her once more in her peripheral, the silence between them pregnant but not unpleasant.

"I am, actually," Rose finally answered. "Partial to roses. Pink ones, specifically."

"Pink roses suit you wonderfully," Pearl breathed in a soft voice. "Gentleness."

"Oh?" Rose asked, curious as to what she meant. Pearl pushed a stray hair behind her ear and sighed once more.

"I--I don't normally take to strangers so easily," she admitted, her fingers coiled together in her lap. "And we have just met and we're sitting here... talking... and you're so gentle. Is everyone in America like this?" Rose gave a small shrug of her shoulders and tossed her hair.

"Everyone I know is like this," she said. She turned to Pearl, who had been trying to sneak another peek at her, and caught her red-handed. Pearl had reached up again to re-tuck the same strand -- a nervous tic, Rose noted -- and Rose grabbed the hand and pulled it into hers, bringing it again to her lips. Pearl's entire face and neck turned bright red, but she didn't pull away.

It was.... _something_ at first sight; Rose couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly, just that she was quite taken with this young woman and suddenly wanted to know more about her. She could see right away that this woman, this Pearl, had a lot more within her than she cared to let on. Some sort of burning, frustrated desire laid dormant inside her, and Rose found that she was very interested in drawing it out.

"Rose," Pearl said, "I--" at that moment, there was a loud bark, and a small dog ran up to them. It was brown and white and had big ears and Rose immediately dropped Pearl's hand to reach down and pet it.

"Oh, what a darling!" Rose cooed. "Is this your pup?" Pearl didn't answer. She had jumped to her feet, staring at the corner of the house. Rose then noticed the sound of distant voices.

"Margaret," Pearl muttered. She looked down at Rose in a panic. "Rose, I'm so sorry, but if my sister sees you--"

"Don't worry!" Rose said, coming to her feet as well. The dog was about to jump up to greet Rose but he suddenly backed away as Rose raised her hand, instead sitting patiently.

"Good boy," Rose said. She turned to Pearl, who had run back for her parasol and abandoned glove, looking flustered and tense. "Pearl?"

"Please, run into the bushes!" Pearl called. The voices were getting louder and it sounded like another dog was about to approach. Rose lifted her dress in her hands and turned to face Pearl.

"Come out here tonight," Rose said. Pearl stared at Rose in confused.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You'll see," Rose said, winking. As Pearl glanced back to the house, Rose leapt into the air, allowing her drifting to bring her back down in the woods. Pearl turned back to see that Rose had vanished, and Rose watched from her perch in a tree, set back in the dark.

"Pearl! There you are," the older woman from before said as she walked up to Pearl. Pearl brushed off her skirt and slipped her glove back on, holding her parasol very tightly in her hands. The children were with the woman, with two more dogs. "I thought you had gone inside. It's almost time for lunch."

"I was admiring the day," Pearl explained. "I was inside all day yesterday, as you may recall." The woman pursed her lips.

"I don't, actually, but alright," she said curtly. She gestured to the male child. "James, please escort your aunt inside."

"I don't _wanna,_ Mama," the child whined, and Rose chuckled to herself. The mother scoffed and grabbed his wrist, practically tossing him towards Pearl. Pearl stepped back, frowning, and gently touched the top of the boy's head.

"It's alright, James, I don't require an escort," she said. The child looked as if he were about to cry, and Pearl instead took his hand in hers. "Let's get ourselves some lunch, shall we?" The group rounded the corner of the house, the dogs in tow, and were gone. Rose remained where she was, allowing her facade to drop and watching as her shape-shifted court gown transformed into her normal long white dress. She let out a deep sigh as the gentle breeze touched facets of her gem, finally revealed after being hidden for so long.

_If Pearl wants a garden,_ Rose thought, swinging her legs, _I'll give her a garden._

\---

Pearl realized, after changing into her nightgown and turning down her bed, she had no idea what time "tonight" was. _Should she go outside at sundown? Dusk? Midnight_? Rose had simply said tonight and vanished into the wood. Pearl was half convinced she hadn't even been real, their meeting was so fast.

Pearl ildly ran her fingers over the knuckles of her right hand, where Rose Quartz had kissed her twice only hours before. Pearl was both enthralled and terrified. This woman was clearly interested in her, with her giant hair and beautiful dress and bare feet, but how did she know that Pearl was... the same? _Was it obvious?_ She had always thought she'd kept her unfortunate feelings well-hidden, but this woman seemed to draw them out almost immediately.

_Was she too sapphic?_ The thought made her tremble, but from fear or allure, she wasn't sure. She was so distracted by her thoughts that no books nor needlework caught her attention, and hours had ticked by unnoticed. It wasn't until the grandfather clock in the hall sounded for midnight that she realized it had been dark for many hours, and she had yet to go outside.

As quietly as possible, Pearl wrapped herself in a dressing down and slippers and slid out into the hall. The gas had been turned down but the lamps were still dimly lit, and she knew the house well enough that she could navigate half-blind. She took the servant staircase down, knowing if she risked going past her mother's door, Hoshiko would certainly hear her. She had the hearing of a hungry serpent and Pearl wasn't interested in explaining herself tonight.

_What could she possibly be showing me?_ Pearl wondered as she wandered through the big kitchen and out the servant door to the patio. The only light she had was by the moon, still mostly full but waning. She stepped through the narrow, hidden path, past the wrought iron tables and chairs, out to the very back, where she had been sitting on the stone steps earlier that day.

_Where she had met Rose Quartz_. Her heart fluttered against her rib cage as she thought of meeting the mysterious woman in the dead of night. A romantic, enticing thought.

Pearl was tempted to call out but didn't, unsure of where the dogs exactly were and not wanting to cause a stir. She finally emerged to the patio, where it sat empty, as usual. Pearl frowned and turned, looking out over the--

She gasped, dropping her skirt in shock and putting one hand over her mouth.

In front of her, where normally there were acres of cropped grass, were dozens--no, _hundreds_ of blossoms. Carnations, with sprinkles of baby's breath and bluebell buds, waved in greeting. They stretched as far as she could see, all the way to the edges of the property. There were deep, ruby reds and summer greens; bright pinks and rosey purples. Pearl couldn't stop the smile from growing on her face, and she hurried to the stairs to rush down to the field to see them up close.

Rose appeared from within the blossoms, holding a pink rose in her hands. She held it out to Pearl who took it with gratitude, eyes bright.

"Rose," she breathed, "did you do this?"

"Do you like them?" Rose asked, gesturing to the flowers. Pearl nodded, placing the rose into her bun. She stepped into the lush grass and knelt down, spreading her arms over the blooms and raking in the scent. She was dizzy with it, her heart erupting from her chest, Rose watching her with kind eyes. She turned on her knees, not even caring about how dirty her nightgown was getting in the dirt.

"I love them," she said, her hands over her heart. "How--"

"It doesn't matter," Rose interrupted, kneeling down into the field of flowers beside her. "I've seen these flowers elsewhere and thought these colors were pretty together. Don't you agree?"

"I do," Pearl said with a happy sigh. "Oh, _Rose_ , this is incredible. You really did this all for me?" She turned, the rose blossom still in her hair, mimicking a pink sun against the dark of her locks.

"You said you wanted flowers," Rose said simply. "Earth has such incredibly natural beauty, and it pains me every time someone wants to experience it and can't."

"Oh, Rose, they're so beautiful!"

"All for you, my Pearl." Pearl faltered at the words and glanced up at Rose, still kneeling beside her, gazing into the blossoms. Her eyes were set on something that Pearl couldn’t see, and she bit her lower lip in deep thought. Pearl took another deep breath, the floral notes penetrating her mind, and she reached out and placed a light hand on Rose’s wrist.

Rose’s eyes widened and she snapped her head back to face Pearl, blinking in confusion. She then let out a sigh and a laugh, bubbly and warm and inviting. She slid into the carnations with a _fwump_ and turned to Pearl, eyelids at half-mast and looking delightfully sleepy. Pearl couldn’t stop her face from heating up once more and she brought her eyes down to the carnations instead, picking a light pink bud and handing it to Rose.

Rose accepted it graciously and leaned down on her arm, stretching her legs into the flowers and tossing her wild curls back over her shoulder. She was now mere inches from Pearl, who could smell the light, rosey scent Rose naturally exuded.

“These are carnations,” Pearl said in a soft voice. An owl hooted in response, somewhere in the dark woods beyond them. “One of my favorites.”

“I love how colorful they are,” Rose said, inspecting the pink petals in her hand. “There is far too much green here, in your home. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Pearl gushed, folding her hands into her lap. The air was cool and sweet and was lulling her to sleep. “I love flowers. I’ve been wanting something like this for… some time….” she trailed off into a yawn, which took her by surprise. She had been listing to the side and realized she was about to lean _on Rose._

_That is definitely too sapphic,_ she thought in a panic, and sat upright, rubbing her face. She looked back down at the carnations, waving in the breeze. _Although…_ She plucked another pink one from the field. She couldn’t _quite_ remember what pink carnations meant, but if it was what she thought it was…

Inside the house, the clock struck the half-hour. It was now twelve-thirty and Pearl had to be up early the next morning, and she had yet to sleep.

“Oh, I should be going back inside,” Pearl said, regretfully rising to her feet. Rose, who was still reclined in the flowers, looked up and watched as the young woman dusted herself off and gave her a sad smile. “Thank you, Rose, these are just… absolutely beautiful.”

“Here,” Rose said, gathering an armful of the blossoms, “take these with you.” Pearl accepted the makeshift bouquet, lifting the edge of her nightgown and gingerly wrapping the stems with the fabric. Rose stood beside her, brushing a few spare sprigs from her shoulders, and suddenly, they were very, _very_ close. Pearl looked up and gasped as Rose smiled down at her, warm and inviting. Her lips were a flushed pink, full and supple, and Pearl was overwhelmed with the desire to kiss her.

She unconsciously wet her bottom lip and Rose’s eyes caught it. Pearl tried to turn away in embarrassment, cheeks as crimson as the blossoms in her arms, but Rose placed her palm on her cheek and turned her face back towards her. Pearl’s chest heaved for breath, as Rose trailed the backs of her fingers over Pearl’s cheek, leaving a warmth behind that Pearl had never felt before. Rose leaned in, Pearl closed her eyes, and tightened her entire body as she pressed those lips against her forehead. It was the ghost of a kiss, more of the pressing of her lips against hot skin for just a moment before pulling back.

“When will I see you again?” Pearl asked breathlessly. Rose finally released her face and dropped her hand to her side.

“Tomorrow?” Rose asked. “If you would li--”

“Yes!” Pearl interrupted, and then she clapped a hand over her mouth as a few birds flew from the forest behind them in surprise. Several of the carnations fell from her arms and Rose stooped to retrieve them, tucking them back into Pearl’s makeshift pouch.

“Tomorrow, then,” Rose continued, her smile widening. “Where should I meet you?”

“Back here,” Pearl said, gesturing to the back patio stairs. “Tomorrow afternoon. I should have some free time after lunch, and we can walk to the edge of the grounds where no one else will be.”

“I’ll be here, then,” Rose said, and she lifted Pearl’s free hand to her lips, kissing her middle two knuckles with a flourish. Pearl allowed her hand to drop to her side as Rose stepped back into the carnations, moving with an otherworldly ease among the flowers, and then disappeared into the woods. Pearl sighed, picked up her dress, and made her way back into the house, guarding the carnations to her chest with her life.

As soon as she was in the safety of her room, she dashed to her desk and pulled out a small, hand-written packet that was tucked into the back of a drawer. She lit the stumpy candle on the edge of the desk and laid the carnations out on top of her books, quickly thumbing through the packet to the back. Crude carnation illustrations littered the top of the page, with a list of colors written below in faded ink.

“Okay… red,” she murmured, looking over at the four red carnations Rose had given her. She had a sharp intake of breath as she read the interpretation. _Deep, romantic love._ “Green…” An unusual color for a flower, but one she appreciated for its uniqueness. Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw her own annotation written at the bottom for green. _Secret symbol - O. Wilde._ Her eyes darted to the hidden panel in her desk, where her Lippincott’s copy was wrapped away. _Of course, she must be a follower,_ she thought to herself with glee. _Pink - a woman’s love._ Pearl covered her mouth to stifle the loud gasp. A follower of Wilde? _Romantic love? A_ woman’s _love?_

_Rose was a lesbian, just like her._ The realization caused Pearl’s knees to buckle and she crumpled to the floor, tucking her arms into her lap. The tension she’d been holding in her body flowed from her limbs, and exhaustion set in immediately. She hadn’t realized how much anxiety had built up until now, and the exertion of it sapped her remaining energy. She would sleep soundly tonight, for sure. It was the same enigmatic feeling that Clara gave her at school, except it was _real_ and not “marriage prep”.

With a satisfied sigh, Pearl tucked her book back into her desk and collected the carnations. She took an empty vase from the armoire and filled it with water from the ceramic pitcher on her bedside table, and set the carnations in the windowsill. The moonlight glimmered from their petals, and she smiled as she pulled the curtains closed. She finally climbed into bed, pulling the duvet up to her neck.

Rose Quartz’s flush pink curls and inviting lips flashed into her mind’s eye as she closed her eyes, and she drifted off to sleep, thinking of Rose.

**Author's Note:**

> Historic notes:  
> \- Lippincotts/Oscar Wilde: Lippincotts is the publication 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray' was first published in, in 1890. Wilde was a known gay and had many gay followers, and was famously brought to trial for sodomy in 1895.  
> \- The Earl of Strafford: a real fellow, but I gave him a fake family. The estate they live in is real, too - apparently they do a lot of weddings these days.  
> \- Victorian floriography: the language of flowers. Women assigned meanings to different flower types and colors and used different combinations to communicate. Generally communities would come up with their own meanings and those would get passed around. The ones I'm using for this fic are from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_symbolism  
> \- The term 'lesbian' in 1891: lesbian has been in use for wlw since the 18th century! 
> 
> I was talking with a friend about the extreme lack of historical stories with the Gems, pre-canon: they've been on earth for six thousand years, so presumably they've seen a lot, if not most, of human history. I, a lowly history major, decided to rectify that, and obviously make it as gay as possible. This was supposed to be a one-shot story but it started getting very, very long, so I've split it into chapters. I don't anticipate more than 4/5 chapters but who knows! I've also been doodling from this AU for inspiration and you can find those on my SU tumblr.


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